This report is the 13th in a series that focuses on high school dropout and completion rates, presenting data on 2000 rates and including time series data on high school dropout and completion rates for 1972-00. In addition to extending time series data reported in earlier years, this report examines the characteristics of high school dropouts and high school completers in 2000. It shows that while progress was made during the 1970s and 1980s in reducing high school dropout rates and increasing high school completion rates, these rates remained comparatively stable during the 1990s. Data are presented on event and status dropout rates and high school completion rates, with statistics on income, race/ethnicity, age and sex, and region and state. Overall, in October 2000, 5 out of every 100 youths enrolled in high school in October 1999 had dropped out. They accounted for approximately one-half million of the 10 million people age 15-14 years enrolled in high school in the previous October. Four appendices, which comprise half of the report, feature standard error tables for text tables, tables in support of figures, supplemental tables, and technical notes. (Contains 27 tables and 6 figures.) (SM)